1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a method of and apparatus for trimming a padded board such as a molded ceiling for an automotive vehicle and more particularly to a method of and apparatus for trimming, using a cutter, an automotive molded ceiling consisting of a base material and a surface material attached to the surface material in a stretched state.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A molded ceiling for an automotive vehicle or the like is well known in the art and exemplarily shown in FIGS. 4, 5A and 5B. The molded ceiling 1 consists of a base material 2 made of paperboard such as corrugated board and a surface material 3 attached in a stretched state to the base material. The surface material 3 consists of an outer covering 4 and a cushion 5.
Such a molded ceiling 1 is formed into a desired shape and size by trimming, i.e., by cutting down using a cutter as shown in FIG. 5A or by bending the surface material upon the rear surface of the base material to be bonded thereto as shown in FIG. 4.
The molded ceiling shown in FIG. 5A is more desirable from the cost point of view as compared with that shown in FIG. 4. However, this type of molded ceiling has a disadvantage in that it has a likelihood of being deteriorated in appearance due to the fact that the surface material 3 is attached in a stretched state to the base material 2 and its trimmed end is pulled inward after cutting to expose the cushion 5 and the base material 2 to view as shown in FIG. 5B. Such a disadvantage may cause the necessity of enlarging a black-colored print portion 9 on a windshield glass 8 or the like for hiding its end portion from view, thus causing another disadvantage of a narrowed driver's sight.